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Bethesda E3 round-up: Doom, Fallout 4 and Dishonored 2

Video games publisher Bethesda Softworks has used its first-ever E3 showcase to announce Dishonored 2, and reveal new details on highly-anticipated titles like Doom and Fallout.

The conference was scheduled for 7pm Pacific Time, meaning it played out at a rather inconvenient 3am for UK readers.

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However WIRED is reporting live from E3 all week, and we've collected all the big news below, which we'll update as the conference rolls on. The other giants of the gaming world, including Sony, Nintendo, EA, Ubisoft and Microsoft, will all make their own announcements at press events on Monday and Tuesday.

Doom

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Bethesda’s long-awaited reveal of its Doom reboot (out Spring 2016 on PC, Xbox One and PS4) showed just how much Betheseda wants to recreate the sensation of the original FPS-defining shooter. What does that mean? In Bethesda's words, it means "badass demons, big f-ing guns and moving really, really fast". And that's certainly what we're going to get.

There are elements of 2004's horror-focused Doom 3 in this new game, which runs on the new idTech 6 code base, but it's clearly a quicker, bloodier title that brings iconic elements of the 90s classic -- super shotguns, many of the same monster types -- back to the fore. Specifically there is little cover for the player to use, and there are few opportunities to run away and hide. The demo showed off at the event involved a manic run through an undead-filled space station, with exceptionally violent and graphic interludes, close-up kills and death scenes to make a gesture at story-telling. Oh, and just as in the original game you can pick up and use a chainsaw to kill demons. So there is that.

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What's perhaps most interesting is that Bethesda will ship a level editor and an extensive modifications system with the game. "Doom Snapmap" will be a community-led effort to give players new types of content. It's aimed at players with no previous experience in making maps or games -- something for which the original Doom was famous with its easily-editable WAD files.

Doom will also feature a built-in multiplayer mode, which is fast-paced, arena stylee and ultimately fairly standard judging by the trailer, though the ability to transform into a jetpack-wearing demonic death machine looks entertaining.

Dishonored 2

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Bethesda announced another chance for gamers to blend first-person combat and stealth with magical powers in Dishonored 2. The trailer showed at the game was relatively vague, but noted that the game will give you a choice of characters -- either the original Corvo or a new character, Emily Caldwin -- with different powers and skills. Bethesda also said that Dishonred: The Definitive Edition for Xbox One and PS4 will be released in Autumn 2015.

The Elder Scrolls Legends

For Elder Scrolls fans, you now have no excuse for not playing games from the fantasy series at literally every waking moment. Bethesda announced it will release a strategy card game for tablets based on the series, in the style of Warcarft's Hearthstone which has -- of course -- been enormously successful.

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Fallout 4

In its biggest reveal, Bethesda said that Fallout 4 will be released November 10 2015. Several interesting details about the latest entry in the beloved post-apocalyptic series were shown for the first time:

Character creation: players can use a dynamic player editor to define your character at the start of the game, and yes you have the option to play as a woman. Player freedom "remains our absolute number one goal" Bethesda said.

Custom guns, armor and items: every item in the game world will have useful elements which you can tear apart and use for parts to build on top of 50 base weapons with more than 700 mods.

Setting: Fallout 4 begins in Boston before the nuclear disaster which leads to the nightmarish world of the future. Your character is a parent and your baby is defined by the look of the couple you create. You then emerge 200 years later as the sole survivor of the 'vault' into which you escaped.

Graphics: naturally Fallout 4 looks beautiful, with dynamic "volumetric" lighting. As ever, though, it's impossible to say on which system the demo was running or how closely it will resemble the game as it appears on release. You can play in first or third person, and you're never locked into a conversation.

The Dog: as revealed in the teaser trailer, your character has the option of palling around with a dog who you can order to do your bidding, collecting items and fighting enemies.

Your new Pip-Boy: the wrist-mounted computer seen in previous versions of Fallout is back, but remade with included mini-video games and improved stats management. Bethesda also announced a real, physical Pip-Boy will be released with the collector's edition, and there will be a smartphone app so you can put your phone inside the elaborate object and use it in-game.

Fallout Shelter: a new world-building app for iPhone and iPad, in which you control and build your own Vault. The game is inspired by everything from Sim City to the original Fallout series, and sees you attract new residents (or give birth to them) and gradually improve your vault. The game is free, but Bethesda said it won't be angled just to draw endless in-app purchases. The game is out immediately on the App Store.